YOU ARE INVITED to a special Teacher-Juror Reception at the 2014 Groff Exhibition: A Juried Exhibition of the Finest High School Art in San Diego County – now on view and open to the public!

Please join us Thursday evening, April 24 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm for wine and refreshments and to hear comments from the exhibition jurors: Robert Pincus – Art Critic and writer for Culture Buzz; Joanne Hayakawa – Professor of Art at San Diego State University, and Tara Smith – Chief Curator at Oceanside Museum of Art.

This is a great social opportunity to network with colleagues while viewing the show at this special event just for teachers at Art Pulse’s beautiful new gallery space inside the Bread and Salt Building in Barrio Logan, San Diego’s newest burgeoning arts district.

Please bring friends and spouses, but this special teacher’s evening is not an event for students! The student’s reception will be held on Sunday, May 4 from 1 – 3 pm at which the cash awards will be presented.

So come, relax and mingle at the gallery, taking in the show next week as we head down the homestretch of this school year…YOU DESERVE A NIGHT OUT!

It’s officially time to start planning next fall’s Mega-Arts Conference in Balboa Park. Many of you had very interesting suggestions for presentations after last fall’s conference and we’re looking forward to hearing more great ideas for visual arts sessions and presentations at next year’s. We’re starting planning earlier this year and ramping up our technological tools in organizing the conference, per many of your recommendations.

If you or one of your colleagues have great ideas, projects or topics to preset to our professional community, please share by making a session proposal.

Please see the MEGA-Call for Session Proposals below from Russ Sperling of the San Diego County Office of Education and find the snappy link to submit a proposal online!

Call for Session Proposals

This is the official announcement that opens the call for session proposals for the Arts Empower Mega Conference. This year’s conference will take place in Balboa Park on Thursday, October 9, 2014. All break out session proposals, regardless of arts discipline, will be submitted using the online form linked below. The relevant professional association/organization will review the proposals according to discipline or intended audience, as in music educators (CMEA-SBS) will review music proposals and visual art educators (SDCAEA) will review art proposals, etc. All sessions will be one hour in length.

The first Mega Conference was very successful last year, and this year’s conference promises to be bigger and better. Please consider submitting a proposal for the conference. There are “intended audience” categories for dance, music, theatre, visual art, elementary multiple subject teachers, teaching artists, school administrators and common core. There is the opportunity to include multiple presenters (“speakers”) for any given session. See the proposal form for more information regarding the planning committee’s requests of information.

The deadline for submissions is June 13, after which time the online form will no longer be available.

Another Youth Art Month exhibit is in the books. Thanks to everyone that participated to make this showcase of San Diego County student artwork such a huge success! A special shout out goes to Susan Lewis for her leadership in putting on the exhibit.

Below are some photos of the exhibit for those of you that may have missed it.

The San Diego County Art Education Association is proud to announce TWO UPCOMING STUDENT ART EXHIBITIONS as well as the call for nominations for the 2014 ARTISSIMO AWARDS of Excellence in Art Education. Please submit your student’s best work to spotlight their achievements and highlight the work you do in your classrooms!

These juried, standards based exhibitions of student art are one of the best ways that we, as teachers, can model the importance of art education to students, parents, administrators and the community. Exhibiting your students’ art work validates and adds real meaning to why we teach art in our schools. This year also marks the first year that CASH AWARDS will be given at the 2014 Groff Exhibition!

The 2014 Groff Exhibition:A Juried Exhibition of the Finest High School Art in San Diego County

CASH Awards: $500 – 1st, $250 – 2nd, $100 – 3rd (open to all media)

Eligibility: Open to grades 9-12, in all media 2D & 3D

On View: April 14-May 4

Location: Art Pulse Headquarters at Bread and Salt – Barrio Logan

Digital Submission Window: Feb 25 – March 16

DEADLINE to submit: March 16

Entry submission is online using digital images. For more information and to register and submit student work visit:

Please consider spotlighting an art educator or administrator for their excellence in the field of Art Education by nominating them for an ARTISSIMO AWARD this spring! Please complete the nomination form and return it to Ron Jesse at jesseeron@gmail.com by April 10, 2014. The event will take place on May 12, 2014.

This is a great way to recognize a colleague for their hard work and dedication to Visual Arts Education in San Diego County!

We look forward to highlighting your students’ best art and thank you for your commitment to quality arts education in San Diego County!